Railfanning Around Ottawa

Now that I've purchased a digital camera, I'm having tons of fun heading out trackside to snap shots of the local trains in and around my area of Ottawa. There's a railroad crossing just 10 minutes by bike from my house...as well as a bike path crossing...yes...Ottawa is very bicycle friendly! Before heading out, I check the VIA Rail website for the schedule of trains and off I go.

Typically, an inbound train arrives Ottawa and shortly thereafter an outbound departs. There is usually a twenty minute interval, so I don't have to wait too long for the next train.

It's Monday, August the 8th. The first photograph above shows inbound train #44 approaching the Pleasant Park road crossing. Those buildings in the background are located near Billings Bridge shopping plaza. The sun was on my right...pretty good phot conditions!

The second image is of outbound train #47. This train is only three or four minutes out of the station and it is approaching the bike path crossing. I'm standing right beside the bicycle path. The time is just before five o'clock in the late afternoon.

Both these trains were right on schedule! I also appreciate the fact that different diesel units were on the headend of the two trains. I hope you've enjoyed my first post to my new railfanning weblog!

Cheers, Mike Hamer